RHIAN SOCCER AND MEDIA REPORTS

 

CANADA GOLDEN AT PANAM GAMES        27th October 2011

From CSA, Oye!Times, Voyageurs

 

WNT supporters across the country were glued to grainy, quasi legal video streams (often interrupted by other PanAm events) last night in the finals of the PanAmerican Games soccer tournament. With streams of excitable Spanish from the commentators, it was not hard to see whom they were supporting. But, Canada got the job done, even if they needed penalty kicks to do it.

 

The Canada Women's team brought home a gold medal from the XVI Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011. The team played Brazil to a 1:1 draw before a 4-3 victory on penalty kicks decided the result. Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc made two saves on kicks from the penalty spot.

Brazil was up by a goal after Deborah scored  in the fourth minute. But, Canada did not panic. They played a very patient possession game. They were doing a good job of holding the ball and building plays. Not many chances on goal, but holding the ball well. No kick and run to be seen.

In  the second half and things got a bit less patient and precise, more mistakes and giveaways, not sure but it looked as though Brazil was controlling more, (still playing possession soccer though). But Canada got a few good attacks.

 

The forwards did not really stand out today, and the Brazilians defenders and goalie did a good job of containing them. However, the defenders were a factor, often bringing the ball all the way up. Chapman, Sesselmann and Gayle did this in the first half, and Wilkinson did a great job doing this in the second period.

 

Canada started to find its second wind in the latter part of the match, and Sinclair eventually pulled through though, with a beautiful glancing header from a Diana Matheson corner kick in the 87th minute. For Sinclair, it was her second goal of the tournament and 119th of her career. It was also her fourth goal in six career matches against Brazil. 

 

In overtime, it was Canada all the way, with the occasional dangerous attack/counterattack from Brazil.The match ended in a 1:1 draw, with the stats showing that Canada maintained 57% of possession and won seven of the 13 corner kicks in the match. Brazil, on the other hand, out-shot Canada 22-13. 

 

In the shootout, Canada looked like winners, with Diana Matheson kicking first and setting the tone. Diana Matheson, Francielle, Christine Sinclair, Maurine and Melanie Booth scored on the first five attempts. Grazielle was then stopped by Karina LeBlanc on the sixth attempt. With Canada in the lead, Sophie Schmidt and Ketlen both scored on the ensuing kicks, bringing the scoreline to 4-3 in Canada's favour. Candace Chapman then had a chance to win it, but she struck the right post. On Brazil's fifth kick, however, LeBlanc stopped Debora, and Canada celebrated gold for the first time at the Pan American Games. 

 

This marks Canada’s third medal at the Pan American Games, following silver at Santo Domingo 2003 and bronze at Rio 2007. Canada finished fourth at the inaugural Pan American Games Women’s Football Tournament at Winnipeg 1999.

Canada finished the XVI Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011 with a record of three wins and two draws. Both draws came against Brazil (0:0 in the group phase and 1:1 in the championship final).

Canada also maintains its winning record this 2011 season: 13 wins, four draws and six losses. Canada and Brazil have posted draws against each other in their last five encounters dating back to 2008.